Series Preview: Mets Searching for Success in Cincinnati

The New York Mets were on the cusp of starting the season 0-6, but a two-run ninth inning in the second game of their doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers helped them avoid back-to-back sweeps. A lack of competitiveness from the lineup has been the biggest worry as the team ranks third to last in runs per game (2.17). Francisco Álvarez and Pete Alonso have been two of the only bright spots, but on the whole the offense has been virtually non-existent. Carlos Mendoza will hope to see more from them as the Mets travel to face the Cincinnati Reds in their first road series of the year, who have won two straight series against a pair of NL East teams in the Washington Nationals and the Philadelphia Phillies.

Let’s take a look at some important notes for the three pitching matchups!

Friday, April 5, 2023: LHP José Quintana (0-1, 3.86 ERA) vs. RHP Hunter Greene (0-0, 3.86 ERA)

José Quintana was far from his best against the Milwaukee Brewers on Opening Day, throwing just 4 2/3 innings. There was quite a bit of traffic on the bases, though he was able to work through more often than not. Quintana allowed two runs on six hits in addition to two walks while earning the loss. Three of the six Brewer hits came against his sinker, so it will be interesting to see if he makes any sort of adjustment tonight. Quintana has pitched for three teams in the National League Central, so he is very familiar with the Reds. In 14 career appearances (13 starts), he is 5-4 with a 3.03 ERA in 77 1/3 innings against Cincinnati.

Hunter Greene was once the top prospect in the Reds’ system, but he has yet to live up to his high expectations. Unfortunately, injuries have played a large role in that, as he was only able to make 22 starts last season. The Reds are in a position where they need him to be their ace, so getting 30+ starts from the right-hander is the goal. Greene has not fared well against the Mets in the past, owning an 0-2 record with a 6.06 ERA through three starts. Those numbers are a bit inflated by one bad performance in 2022 as he allowed three runs or less in both of his appearances against New York last season.

Saturday, April 6, 2023: RHP Luis Severino (0-1, 5.40 ERA) vs. RHP Nick Martinez (0-0, 5.40 ERA)

Luis Severino was the Mets’ best starter in spring training, but that did not translate to his first start of the regular season. He wasn’t helped out by his defense, however, as a first inning error resulted in three unearned runs crossing home plate. Severino had a few scoreless frames and did strikeout six, but he still allowed 11 hits, including a two-run home run to Rhys Hoskins that really opened the game up. Severino owns a 4.79 ERA in the first inning during his career, meaning if he gets off to a strong start, it could lead to much better results. The right-hander has pitched well against the Reds in the past, going 1-0 with a 3.29 ERA across 13 2/3 innings.

The Reds made a few additions to their starting rotation this off-season, one of which was Nick Martinez. He returned to the states in 2022 after four seasons playing with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters and Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), making 110 appearances for the San Diego Padres over a two-year stretch. Martinez was used as more of a reliever in San Diego but is now set to be a part of the Reds’ rotation with Nick Lodolo still on his way back from a tibia injury. None of his 20 career starts have come against the Mets, throwing 3/2 innings in four relief appearances against them all-time.

Sunday, April 7, 2023: LHP Sean Manaea (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. LHP Andrew Abbott (0-0, 3.38 ERA)

The Mets could not have asked for a better debut out of Sean Manaea, who threw six scoreless innings while allowing just one hit in Monday’s extra innings loss to the Tigers. He was effective with the usage of his four-seam fastball, collecting five strikeouts with the pitch. Manaea was able to throw 88 pitches in the outing, so he should be able to push towards 90+ in Sunday’s series finale. The left-hander has just two career appearances against the Reds, pitching to a 3.24 ERA in 8 1/3 innings (one start). Manaea’s only start against them came as a member of the San Diego Padres in 2022, throwing six innings and allowing one run.

Andrew Abbott received the call up to the big-league roster in June of 2023 and did not disappoint, pitching to a staggering 1.21 ERA in his first five career starts. The young left-hander was good but not great in July before hitting a wall over the final two months of the season. Abbott had a total of one quality start over his final 10 appearances last year. In comparison, he had eight quality starts through his first 11 outings. The 24-year-old is expected to be a big piece of the Reds’ rotation, both in the short-term and the long-term.

Players To Watch 

Francisco Lindor (NYM)

Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil have struggled at the plate to start the season, but if the Mets need anyone to pick it up soon, it has to be Francisco Lindor. The four-time All-Star is 1-for-24 over the first six games, reaching base just four times. He only has six strikeouts though, so that isn’t necessarily the biggest problem. Lindor has made contact on pitches that he could be taking, so it will be fascinating to see if he changes his approach. He will look to bounce back against a Reds team that he has crushed in the past, slashing .312/.384/.561/.945 with 10 home runs, 25 runs batted in and 16 walks across 178 plate appearances.

Jonathan India (CIN)

An injury to Matt McLain and the suspension to Noelvi Marté means Jonathan India, who was a trade candidate all offseason, has a big role to play. He has gradually regressed as a hitter since he was named the National League Rookie of the Year in 2021, but it should be noted that he is still only 27 years old. India also happens to be one of the more experienced positions players in Cincinnati now that Joey Votto is no longer in the fold. The middle infielder has hit for power against the Mets in the past, collecting nine extra base hits in 17 games.